The Administrative Core provides leadership, direction and administrative support for all COBRE activities including fiscal and scientific core resource management, organization of all meetings, implementation of mentoring plans and program evaluation. The overall objective of the Administrative Core is to ensure effective coordination and operation of all COBRE activities, and to engage COBRE participants in achieving the overall goals of the program. The Director has primary responsibility for administering the program and overseeing the development of the COBRE, its faculty and its cores. He is assisted by the Co-Director, Director of Finance, Sponsored Programs Accountant, and an Executive Assistant. Decisions regarding budgets, core usage and direction of the COBRE are made by the Director and Co-Director with advice from the External Advisory Committee and Internal Steering Committee. The Administrative Core will implement all aspects of a multi-faceted junior faculty development plan to advance junior faculty transition to independence. Junior investigators have mentors with relevant scientific and mentoring expertise and a strong commitment to the COBRE. Mentors will advise on research progress, lab management, national/international visibility efforts, publication efforts, and progress toward independent grant funding. Significant opportunities for career development will also be available through the Institution's Visiting Scientist Program, a COBRE symposium, courses and workshops, and the training of students. Evaluation of the COBRE includes rigorous formative and summarative assessment that will determine the effectiveness of all Center activities, including junior faculty career development. The external evaluation will be conducted by the External Advisory Committee. MDIBL's long term strategic scientific goal is to build a world class research program in regenerative biology and medicine. Thus the sustainability of the COBRE is of the highest priority to MDIBL. The COBRE will become self-sustaining through individual faculty grant support, additional programmatic grant support, institutional support and philanthropy.